A Gateway to School

Pabayagama Estate is located in the Kegalle District. It is a plantation community and the workers here have honed their skills in rubber and tea cultivation, harvesting, and processing over many generations. It is home to 45 families of estate workers and their families. There are another 25 families from the Weldeniya Division. The area has 60 school-age children who are forced to make a 5km treacherous trek to attend school- their commute includes crossing 3 rivers. This journey becomes more hazardous during the rainy season. This area is known for flash flood events. Consistent rain over a period of a few hours can create storm surges at heights above 6 ft. Parents refuse to send their children to school if rain is forecasted during the children’s journey to school or their return. This is due to the fear that they will be washed away by the river. This interferes with the education of the children- severely restricting their opportunities in life. They made their fears known to Gammadda.

Gammadda, decided to construct a bridge across one of the 3 rivers. This will ensure safe passage to school children who use this route. Other residents will also see time savings on their commute through this area and will have improved access to essential services.

On 3/22/2022, Gammadda completed work on the access bridge for the community of the Pabayagama Estate and handed it over to residents. The children of the school now have safe passage to school. They have a chance of a bright future. The people of the estate now have easy access to employment, healthcare, markets and government services. This project was not merely constructing a bridge, but rather it was an investment in the future.